I Tested Queen Victoria’s Coziest 4-Ingredient Soup & Found Pure Comfort
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I'm someone who enjoys having soup regardless of the season, even during the most sweltering summer days. Perhaps this seems odd, but there's an undeniable pleasure in savoring a great bowl of soup. It needs to be more than average; it must be both delectable and intriguing—something that makes me tilt my bowl for those final drops with my spoon.
When I first learned about Queen Victoria’s beloved four-ingredient soup, I doubted it would fall under the "tasty and intriguing" classification. However, after giving it a try, I must confess, there’s simply no going back now.
Queen Victoria's Favorite Soup
In his book "Cooking & the Crown," Tom Parker Bowles mentions that Queen Victoria relished Potage Parmentier, a rich, velvety soup prepared using potatoes and leeks. This recipe bears the name of Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, an 18th-century French pharmacist who dedicated himself to promoting the popularity of potatoes in France (a condensed form of an engaging history about potatoes in France). The meal is straightforward, consisting simply of potatoes, leeks, butter, and broth besides those primary ingredients. Isn’t it fascinating how such basic components come together? created using just four components Well, it all depends on how it's prepared!
How to Prepare Potage Parmentier
Upon examining various versions of Potato Leek Soup online, I swiftly realized that the initial step of sautéing leeks in butter played a vital role in achieving a successful outcome for the dish. Therefore, I placed my pot over moderate heat and incorporated three tablespoons of butter. As the butter started to melt, I finely chopped two large leeks and washed them thoroughly to eliminate any dirt particles. Once these elements were ready, I put the leeks into the pot along with the softened butter, cooking them gently until they became very tender, frequently stirring so as not to let them turn brown. Subsequently, I included three peeled and cut-up Russet potatoes before covering everything with low-sodium chicken stock. After bringing this mixture to a rolling boil, I adjusted the temperature down to maintain a gentle simmer, allowing it all to cook partly covered until the potatoes achieved a fork-tender consistency, approximately taking thirty minutes. For pureeing immersion blender To blend everything until smooth and creamy, I then served the soup in bowls and topped each one with chives, a dollop of thick cream (optional, yet adds an extra touch), and a sprinkle of something fresh. homemade croutons .
The outcome? Extremely tasty. It’s clear why this soup was Queen Victoria’s preferred choice. Potato soups tend to be quite rich and dense, but this version was unexpectedly light while remaining fulfilling. I discovered that the longer I allowed the soup to simmer on the stove, the more delicious it became—even after blending. The consistency was velvety, and it had a buttery taste with an exceptionally delicate onion flavor and an earthy hint of sweetness. This is a recipe I will incorporate into my usual meal schedule and would happily serve to esteemed guests—if I happened to have any royal acquaintances.
Read the initial article on Diwida
